Transcendentalism is an ideal spiritual state which transcends the physical state. It is based on individuality, self-knowledge, nature, and embracing the surrounding world. Avatar is a movie about humans traveling to a planet called Pandora to extract unobtanium. While there, the humans interact with an indigenous race called the Na’vi and the main characters learn their way of life. In James Cameron’s Avatar, transcendentalism can be seen through the Na’vis culture and way of life. One of the main points of transcendentalism is nature and self reliance. At the beginning of the movie the main character, Jake, was sent to learn about the natives and report back to his commander so they could take the resources. After learning about their lives and starting to fall in love, Jake makes a video log …show more content…
To ride an animal, the Na’vi must make a physical connection with it. By doing so it allows the pair to feel each other's emotions. The tree roots are connected as well and send some sort of signal to one another. This shows that even the planet is connected, but the Na’vi would see it as life itself because they see nature as an actual object. Last there is the knowledge that comes from their spiritual leader and their ancestors. Once someone dies they are buried and become apart of nature and their soul becomes apart of the people. At the beginning of the movie Neytiri is going to shoot Jake with an arrow but she does not because a spirit landed on the tip of the bow. These ancestors are here to help the Na’vi make the right choices and guide them through the world how it is. They do not try to change or disrupt anything except to make what they need to survive. An example of this is how they live in a giant tree. They did not make homes and cut down trees to do it, they took what was already there and made something out of it without destroying